BHB chapter 6

 

After Jingzhe started thinking about Yao Cairen, he couldn’t help but pay more attention to her.

Yao Cairen had once been a consort of the previous emperor. At that time, she was just a passing cloud in the imperial harem. However, when she was demoted to Bei Fang, things changed.

Yao Cairen had a foul mouth and a bad temper. She liked to scold people, and the palace maids in the Bei Fang complained about her behind her back.

Jingzhe normally didn’t like gossip, so he hadn’t listened much. However, once he began to ask around, he discovered that everyone had their own theories about the masters’ backgrounds.

Today, when Mingyu heard him ask about Yao Cairen, he laughed.

“I thought you didn’t like listening to this kind of talk, Jingzhe. If you were asking anyone else, I wouldn’t know, but I do know something about Yao Cairen.”

He smiled with a hint of smugness, but not in an annoying way.

“I heard it from Baqi,” Mingyu said. Baqi was older than them and knew a lot more. “Yao Cairen originally belonged to Empress Dowager Cisheng. They say she was a distant relative of his. When the empress dowager fell ill, Yao Cairen was assigned to serve her. She ended up dying during her illness, though, and the late emperor was furious. He blamed Yao Cairen for not taking proper care of her, so he demoted her to the Bei Fang.

Empress Dowager Cisheng was Emperor Jingyuan’s mother. She had only caught a cold. No one expected her to die from it.

Jingzhe thought of the small hall.

There was a small courtyard beside Fengxian Hall, and within that courtyard was a smaller hall. He had seen Empress Dowager Cisheng’s spirit tablet there that day.

Come to think of it, why was Rong Jiu in that small hall that day?

Jingzhe frowned. Wasn’t Rong Jiu a guard who patrolled the Bei Fang? Fengxian Hall was quite far from the Bei Fang.

Mingyu didn’t know what Jingzhe was thinking and kept talking.

“After Madam Yao first arrived at the North Wing, she was really quiet for a few years. Then, she suddenly went crazy and started yelling and cursing every day. Everyone was afraid to go near her. Even the other masters occasionally avoided her when passing by.

He stretched and patted Jingzhe’s shoulder.

“You’re the only one, that kindhearted fool, who never took his words to heart.”

Jingzhe replied calmly, “She’s a master, and we’re servants. It’s fine if we get scolded now and then.”

Mingyu looked a little embarrassed. “I’m not as forgiving as you are, but it’s true. At least she doesn’t make people do disgusting things like wash clothes in boiling water.”

Jingzhe frowned and glanced at his hands. Mingyu repeatedly shook his head and laughed. “Not me—it was Nanny Ming.”

He lowered his voice.

“You didn’t hear? After Nanny Ming recovered, the corner of her mouth was crooked. She couldn’t speak clearly anymore, and she’s gotten more temperamental.”

Mingyu pursed his lips and gestured for Jingzhe to look outside.

Two palace maids passed by. One of them was He Ye, who was crying as she walked. The other maid was trying to comfort her.

He Ye’s hands were swollen and red, covered in large blisters.

Jingzhe’s expression darkened. “Is Nanny Ming doing this on purpose?”

Mingyu replied, “When someone’s health deteriorates, their heart turns rotten, too. Honestly, I never realized she could be this cruel.”

Although Nanny Ming was their superior, eunuchs oversaw eunuchs and palace maids oversaw palace maids. If Nanny Ming wanted to abuse a palace maid, Chen Mingde couldn’t stop her. However, if she dared to mistreat a eunuch, Chen Mingde definitely wouldn’t stand for it.

That’s why Mingyu could sigh like this—it wasn’t his problem.

Jingzhe shook his head and went off to sweep the courtyard with Mingyu.

But when they got near Nanny Ming’s house, they saw the door curtain lift and a tall figure appear at the door. The figure called out to Jingzhe. “Jingzhe! Nanny Ming wants to speak with you!”

Mingyu grabbed Jingzhe’s sleeve instinctively, fear evident on his face.

Jingzhe smiled reassuringly at him and looked at Handan. “Sister Handan, I’ll be there in a moment.”

Handan’s eyes were slightly red; she had clearly been crying.

Most of her hands were hidden inside her sleeves, with only a bit of white cloth visible.

Jingzhe couldn’t tell if it looked like a lotus leaf…

Once inside, the room was noticeably warmer. Nanny Ming had a brazier burning. There was no smoke, and it was far more comfortable than outside. After Jingzhe stepped inside, Handan quickly shut the door. The windows and doors were tightly closed. The air smelled stale, and the room was gloomy. Nanny Ming sat crookedly in a chair.

Jingzhe took a few steps forward and bowed. “Nanny.”

Nanny Ming didn’t reply. Her icy gaze locked onto Jingzhe like a sharp hook, stabbing him with silent hostility.

He let her stare and glanced sideways at Handan, who stood to the side with her arms folded awkwardly.

“I heard you have some medical skills, Jingzhe,” Nanny Ming said in a slow, slurred voice, the corner of her mouth twisted. “Come take a look and tell me if I’ll recover.”

Jingzhe didn’t move. “Forgive me. I only know a little, and I can’t take a pulse. I’m afraid I won’t be able to help.”

“Don’t know? Can’t? Or just won’t?”

Nanny Ming flung a teacup. Her tone was sharp and mocking.

Hot tea splashed onto his foot and seeped into his shoe. It felt like pieces of shattered rage were flying at him.

Handan gave a startled yelp and swallowed hard.

Jingzhe said lightly, “I truly don’t have the ability.”

Nanny Ming stared at him coldly, as if she wanted to peel his skin off.

She had gotten so sick because He Ye had returned and told her that everyone from the side hall of Yongning Palace was gone.

In the palace, the word “gone” had a special meaning.

Nanny Ming understood the moment she heard it. Even her goddaughter had been caught up in it. Shocked, furious, and terrified, Nanny Ming had fallen ill and nearly died.

When she came to, she was in terrible condition—her strength was cut in half. In this state, even if she went to Bei Fang, no one would accept her. All her scheming was now useless!

She hated He Ye for delivering the news that had caused her to collapse, and she hated Jingzhe even more.

Liu Cairen and Qian Qin were dead, and her goddaughter was gone. Yet Jingzhe still lived safely?

For a moment, her gaze toward Jingzhe darkened further.

Jingzhe remained calm. “If Nanny has no other business, I’ll excuse myself.”

He turned to leave without waiting for her permission.

Jingzhe had always been proper and respectful. This was the first time he’d ever been this defiant toward her. Nanny Ming was so angry that she almost fainted.

Handan rushed to her, calling out, “Nanny, Nanny…” But she didn’t dare touch her.

She was afraid Nanny Ming would regain consciousness and hit her again.

She was also frightened by He Ye’s miserable condition.

In less than half a month, Nanny Ming’s temper had become terrifying.

Mingyu had been hiding outside the door, eavesdropping and worried that Jingzhe would get into trouble. He hadn’t expected to see Jingzhe angry for the first time.

Jingzhe usually had a good temper and agreed to whatever others asked him to do. Today, however, counted as him being truly upset.

“What happened? It’s rare to see you this unhappy.”

Jingzhe frowned. Nanny Ming had clearly been plotting something nasty. When her plan failed, she got so angry that she had a stroke. Luckily, it hadn’t been fatal. She had just woken up, but her emotions were erratic, and she was wasting people’s time by dragging others into her mess. She hadn’t called him in to treat her; she clearly had another motive.

He didn’t want to stay a moment longer.

“Come on, don’t linger here. I’ve cleaned up already. Let’s go elsewhere,” Mingyu said, tugging him away.

No matter how much Nanny Ming hated Jingzhe, she couldn’t touch him openly with Chen Mingde around.

That’s how the last few days passed. The incident with Liu Cairen and Qian Qin became old news, replaced by fresh gossip.

Changshou and Wuyou were whispering to each other.

“I heard the Empress Dowager scolded His Majesty.”

“Why?”

“She wants him to take an empress, but he refused.”

“It’s a bit unseemly for the harem to be without an empress. But His Majesty doesn’t want to…”

Changshou had been in low spirits for a few days, but now he had his energy back. His eyes sparkled as he gossiped.

“But the Empress Dowager is the elder. We believe in filial piety. I think His Majesty might give in.”

Jingzhe passed by and casually added, “Maybe.”

He moved so silently that Changshou jumped in fright when he saw him. When he saw that it was just Jingzhe, his expression turned strange.

Jingzhe noticed and raised an eyebrow at him.

Changshou hesitated, then lowered his voice. “Do you know anyone from Chenghuan Palace?”

“No,” Jingzhe answered calmly. “I don’t like going out much. How would I know anyone from Chenghuan Palace?”

Wuyou nodded.

“Are you paranoid? Why are you asking this?” Jingzhe asked.

Changshou scratched his head anxiously. “The more I think about that day I got beaten, the stranger it seems. Why would someone from Chenghuan Palace stop me out of nowhere and ask if we had any attractive eunuchs? I mean, isn’t Jingzhe the best-looking?”

Wuyou glanced at Jingzhe and rubbed his chin. “He is handsome, but didn’t you say that the people of Chenghuan Palace were praising that eunuch?”

No matter how good-looking Jingzhe was, could he really be that stunning?

Changshou thought Wuyou made sense, but maybe he was overthinking it. Now, he was doubting everyone, especially Jingzhe.

However, Jingzhe seemed far too calm and didn’t like socializing. Chenghuan Palace was so far away that it didn’t seem likely Jingzhe knew anyone there.

Jingzhe nodded at them and left to deliver meals.

He delivered food to the masters one by one. When he reached Yao Cairen, he saw her sitting on the bed in a daze.

The rooms in the Bei Fang were small, containing only a bed, a wardrobe, and a basic table and chairs.

Jingzhe laid out the food and invited Yao Cairen to eat.

However, Yao Cairen acted as if she hadn’t heard him.

Jingzhe had no choice but to leave.

A quarter hour later, he returned to clean up and was relieved to see that everything had been eaten.

After doing this many times, Jingzhe started to feel that something was off.

After several days of observation, he was shocked to discover that Yao Cairen didn’t eat immediately because she was testing for poison.

She tested with a silver needle, once, twice.

She only ate once it came back clean.

Jingzhe frowned. Did this mean that Yao Cairen knew someone was trying to kill her?

He thought back to what Mingyu had said about Yao Cairen being demoted after Empress Dowager Cisheng’s death. Could something strange have happened then?

The thought frightened him, but he kept it to himself.

“Jingzhe, someone’s looking for you.”

The gatekeeper, Baqi, came over and called out. Jingzhe was surprised and followed him outside. Outside, he found someone waiting—Rong Jiu’s “companion.”

Although he was called a companion, Jingzhe wasn’t sure.

He had only seen the man walk with Rong Jiu once. When Jingzhe asked about him, Rong Jiu said he was a colleague.

Besides that one apology, Rong Jiu had never looked for him again. Seeing this person now made Jingzhe nervous. He hurried to the side gate.

“Did something happen to Rong Jiu?” he asked anxiously.

“No,” the guard shook his head, then paused and nodded. “Well… kind of.”

Jingzhe frowned. “What do you mean?”

The guard replied seriously, “He’s on a new mission and hasn’t been in the palace much. He asked me to come tell you.”

Jingzhe let out a breath, his eyebrows relaxing into a smile.

“Oh, it’s nothing serious. You didn’t have to come all the way here. Thank you.”

He bowed, but before he could finish, the guard quickly grabbed his arm to stop him, then yanked his hand back as if it had been burned.

Jingzhe was puzzled by the reaction.

The guard nodded stiffly and left.

Qi Tui leaned against the door, grinning. “Jingzhe, your friend is so sweet, coming all this way just to tell you something small.”

Jingzhe pretended not to hear the teasing and calmly said, “We don’t really talk, but I’d sometimes see him around. Maybe he just didn’t want me to worry.”

Baqi added casually, “In any case, he’s quite thoughtful.”

Jingzhe nodded and turned to head back to the Bei Fang.

Qi Tui’s gaze lingered on him, but Baqi blocked it.

“Alright, whatever his relationship is with that guard, it’s none of our business. Don’t think too much,” Baqi said, noticing Qi Tui’s excessive attention. “Jealous of Jingzhe?”

He was half joking and half serious.

Qi Tui clicked his tongue. “Jealous of him? He just seems weird, that’s all.”

They chatted for a little while longer before leaving.

That night, Jingzhe was half-asleep when he heard something outside.

The wind and snow were mixed with strange sounds.

He quickly got dressed and woke Mingyu.

He almost died of fright when he saw Jingzhe looming over his bed, but he quickly got up when Jingzhe gently explained. They grabbed wooden sticks and quietly followed the noise.

To their surprise, the sound came from Yao Cairen’s room.

Jingzhe’s heart sank. Without thinking, he kicked the door open. It slammed against the wall with a loud bang.

A gust of wind howled through the room from the open door and windows, chilling them to the bone.

Yao Cairen was lying face down, motionless. No one could tell if she was alive.

Jingzhe tossed the stick aside and told Mingyu to help her. Jingzhe rushed to the window, but he only caught a glimpse of tree branches swaying against the wall. He couldn’t tell if someone had escaped.

Mingyu shouted, “She’s alive! Yao Cairen’s not dead!”

Jingzhe quickly returned and helped Mingyu lift Yao Cairen.

Yao Cairen’s head was bleeding, and her hair was matted with blood. She was barely conscious and unable to speak.

Jingzhe told Mingyu to immediately get Nanny Ming and Chen Mingde. As Jingzhe helped Yao Cairen lie down and turned to get hot water, he suddenly heard a delirious murmur.

“It wasn’t me. I didn’t kill her. It wasn’t my cousin. Hehe, it was His Majesty… Ahhh…”

Yao Cairen clutched his face, shrieking in madness. Then he curled up under the covers and shook.

Jingzhe froze.

His Majesty?

Which Majesty?

The late emperor…or Emperor Jingyuan?